Paraffinic solvents provide a variety of industrial uses. For example, NORPAR solvents, several grades of which are marketed by Exxon Chemical Company, e.g., are constituted almost entirely of C.sub.10 -C.sub.15 linear, or normal paraffins (n-paraffins). They are made by the molecular sieve extraction of kerosene via the ENSORB process. These solvents, because of their high selective solvency, low reactivity, mild odor and relatively low viscosity, are used in aluminum rolling oils, as diluent solvents in carbonless copy paper, and in spark erosion machinery. They are used successfully in pesticides, both in emulsifiable concentrates and in formulations to be applied by controlled droplet application, and can even meet certain FDA requirements for use in food-related applications. The NORPAR solvents, while having relatively low viscosity, unfortunately have relatively high pour points; properties which cannot be improved in the ENSORB process by a wider n-paraffin cut because the C.sub.15 + n-paraffins have high melting points. Thus, the addition of C.sub.15 + paraffins will only worsen the pour point.
Solvents constituted of mixtures of highly branched paraffins, or isoparaffins, with very low n-paraffin content, are also commercially available. For example, several grades of ISOPAR solvents, i.e., isoparaffins or highly branched paraffins, are supplied by Exxon Chemical Company. These solvents, derived from alkylate bottoms (typically prepared by alkylation), have many good properties; e.g., high purity, low odor, good oxidation stability, low pour point, and are suitable for many food-related uses. Moreover, they possess excellent low temperature properties. Unfortunately however, the ISOPAR solvents have very high viscosities, e.g., as contrasted with the NORPAR solvents. Despite the need, a solvent which possesses substantially the desirable properties of both the NORPAR and ISOPAR solvents, but particularly the low viscosity of the NORPAR solvents and the low temperature properties of the ISOPAR solvents is not available.